Horse-detacher.



No. 628,956. Patented July I8, I899.

J. ORTEIG.

HORSE DETACHER.

(Application filed Sept. 22, 1898.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEAN ORTEIG, OF PIICENIX, ARIZONA TERRITORY.

HORSE-DETACHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,956, dated July 18, 1899.

' Application filed September 22, 1898. Serial No. 691,582. (No model.)

To M7, whom iii/nay concern:

Be it known that I, JEAN ORTEIG, a citizen of the United. States, residing at Phoenix, in the county of Maricopa and Territory of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I-Iorse-Detachers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and. use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invent-ion relates to devices for readily detaching a horse from a vehicle in case he starts suddenly and becomes uncontrollable; and the invention consists in certain improvements in such devices, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of a hollow whiliietree, the top plate being removed to show the interior. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of part of the whiifletree. Fig. 3 represents a device for releasing the harness from the shafts. Fig. 4 represents one of the side loops or sockets connected with the harness for supporting the shafts.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a hollow whiffletree, in which are mounted tworods or bolts B and B, which are intended to connect attheir outer ends with the harnesstugs O. The inward ends of the rods B B are constructed to carry pulleys, the rod I3 having a pulley I) connected with it, and a pulley I) being connected with the rod B. A pulley d is mounted 011 an axle-pin a, near the center of the whiffletree, as shown. The outer ends of the rods BB rest in grooves or slots made in the ends of the whiflletree, and each rod, near its outer end, has ratchet-teeth c projecting laterally therefrom, a spring catch 6 being secured to the whiflietree and adapted to connect with said ratchet-teeth. On each of the rods B B is a spiral spring 1'', which is constructed and attached to press the rod outward and hold it in connection with a tug of the harness.

g indicates a cord, one end of which'is attaehed to a fixed pin it near the center of the whiilletree. This cord is passed from the pin h to and about the pulley Z), from which said cord is passed to and about the pulley b and from thence to and about the pulley d, from which said cord is extended from the whifiie tree to be within reach of the driver.

Each of the shafts of the vehicle has a ferrule 713 secured thereto, as seen in Fig. 3. This ferrule has a short arm 2', which carries arod j, which extends forward a short distance. A strap m, forming a holdback, is connected 'with the breeching of the harness and also with a ring a, which is placed loosely on the rodj. A small spring 0, connected with the arm i, serves to retain the ring 47. in place while the tugs C are connected with the whiffletree; but when the tugs are released, the ring .being pulled forward by a release-strap p, the spring 6 readily yields and the holdback-strap becomes detached from the thill. These straps p, connected with the rings a, are also connected with the back-strap of the harness. They are made to be somewhat slack, so that they will not pull the rings for ward untilthe tugs are released.

F indicates a shaft loop or socket which is constructed of metal and is usually provided with a covering of leather, one of these sockets being secured to the harness on each side in the usual position to receive a shaft of the vehicle. Each of the sockets has a top piece 1, which is hinged at '1, so that it may be raised to receive or remove the shaft. 'A spring .9 serves to keep the socket closed. The metallic socket is adapted to hold the shaft in place and at the same time allow the shaft to be instantly withdrawn when the tugs are released, there being no liability of its binding on the shaft as when leather loops are employed. I

When the harnessed horse makes a sudden start and it is desired to detach him from the vehicle, the driver pulls the cord g. The rods B B being loosely mounted, so as to be movable endwise, are both drawn inward, thus releasing the tugs G, and the horse running forward draws the slackened straps p, the springs o yielding readily as the rings 7?, are pulled from the rods j, and the sockets F are instantly detached from the shafts by the forward movement.

I claim-- 1. In horse-detaching apparatus, the com= bination with a Whillletree, adapted for conneetion with the tugs of a harness, of two rods loosely mounted in said whiilictree, two pulleys, one of which is carried by each of said rods, a pulley mounted in and connected with said whifiletree, springs adapted to shoot said rods outward and a cord having one end connected with said Whii'tletree, and so passed about said pulleys that by drawing said cord said rods may be drawn inward, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination with a hollow Whitfietree, adapted for connection with the tugs of a harness, of two rods provided with springs, said rods being loosely mounted in said whif- 

